Pete Stratten, Chief Executive of the BGA, recently issued reminders to all clubs about the need to respect and comply with the airspace restrictions associated ith this year’s Olympics. IO can do little better than reproduce that verbatim below:

“As you will be aware, the Olympic Games will result in significant airspace restrictions and temporary changes from 14 July – 15th August 2012.

There has been quite a bit of media hype re shooting down infringing aircraft. The Govt is committed to a safe and secure Games and nobody should doubt the seriousness of the precautions being taken by the MoD and Police.

That aside, it is absolutely true to say that if a pilot from any of our clubs is involved with an infringement of the restricted airspace set up to secure the Olympics or the CAS(T) set up to cope with Olympics traffic, the freedoms we currently enjoy will be severely curtailed in future decision making by the CAA, NATS and HM Govt. It’s difficult to overstate how important it is that all our glider, SLMG, tug, and other pilots operating from our sites understand and comply with the restrictions.

Responsibility

Although pilots are of course responsible for their own actions, it’s incumbent on club management to ensure that pilots operating from their sites are aware of the issues. I know that one or two clubs have already decided that any pilot operating from their site must sign to state they have read and understood the issues relating to the Olympics restricted/prohibited airspace and CAS(T).

Instructors supervising unqualified pilots, eg pre-Bronze Cross Country Endorsement solo flying or pre-licence NPPL SLMG solo flying will be held responsible for those pilots actions if they infringe. Cross country flights by inexperienced pilots should of course be avoided in the SE of England during the period. It is clear that the risk far outweighs the benefit.

Information

Last year, the BGA formed a working group of senior pilots from the SE of England to consider the issues and advise the BGA. That group recognises that a single source of information is ideal. That source is http://olympics.airspacesafety.com plus the free Olympics ½ mil chart issued with every current S England ½ mil chart.

The group identified that moving map airspace files would need to be produced (the people that produce these things are already onto it), and that specific guidance for gliding supervisors would be helpful, particularly for those clubs in the SE closest to the restrictions.

In addition, as there are a small number of competitions taking place further afield during the period, specific instructions for competition directors will be provided.

All this gliding specific information will be published and provided in good time.